Safety and Efficacy of Iopromide in Cerebral Arteriography

Iopromide is a new nonionic monomeric contrast medium for cerebral arteriography. This agent has been approved for sale in over 45 countries; however, it is still undergoing clinical review in the United States. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of iopromide in comparison with two other nonionic contrast media.A total of 173 patients participated in the study, which was prospective, double-blind, and randomized. In two centers, patients received iopromide or iohexol; in the other three centers, patients received iopromide or iopamidol. Adverse events were monitored by investigators, and efficacy was evaluated by grading the radiographic images.Most adverse events were mild or moderate in severity; all resolved completely. Twenty-one percent of patients given iopromide were reported to have a drug-related adverse event, versus 44% of patients given a comparator. No statistically significant difference emerged between iopromide and the comparators with regard to efficacy.These study results indicate that iopromide is a safe and effective contrast medium for cerebral angiography.